Kobo eBook available

The Yard

Product Details

1889, LONDON. JACK THE RIPPER’S REIGN OF TERROR IN FINALLY OVER, BUT A NEW ONE IS JUST BEGINNING.

Victorian London—a violent cesspool of squalid depravity. Only twelve detectives—The Murder Squad—are expected to solve the thousands of crimes committed here each month. Formed after the Metropolitan Police’s spectacular failure in capturing Jack the Ripper, the Murder Squad suffers the brunt of public contempt. But no one can anticipate the brutal murder of one of their own…

A Scotland Yard Inspector has been found stuffed in a black steamer trunk at Euston Square Station, his eyes and mouth sewn shut. When Walter Day, the squad’s new hire, is assigned to the case, he finds a strange ally in Dr. Bernard Kingsley, the Yard’s first forensic pathologist. Their grim conclusion: this was not just a random, bizarre murder but in all probability, the first of twelve. Because the squad itself it being targeted and the devious killer shows no signs of stopping before completing his grim duty. But Inspector Day has one more surprise, something even more shocking than the crimes: the killer’s motive.

Preview Your Review

Your Review Has Been Submitted

Educational/Developmental Value:

Durability:

Hours of Play:

Thank you. Your review has been submitted and will appear here shortly.

Reviews

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Book_Genie from
ScotlandYard at its Finest!Jack the Ripper has terrorized London while eluding the police and people have lost faith in the legendary Scotland Yard. Now a new menace is on the loose and Inspector Walter Day and the newly formed Murder Squad are on the case trying to redeem themselves . Likeable characters and a vivid London backdrop had me savouring every page.

Date published: 2013-10-11

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Christine_L from
Good Historical Who-Dun-ItShortly after the reign of terror by Jack the Ripper the London police form a “murder squad”. Twelve men picked for their proven investigative skills to solve murders in 19th century London. When one of the officers is found stuffed into a steamer trunk with his eyes and mouth sewn shut the whole squad is in shock. How could such a heinous crime happen to one of their own? Walter Day, the newest member of the squad is assigned to the case. Insp. Day suspects that this murder is only the beginning and the whole squad is being targeted. He forms an unusual alliance with Dr. Kingsley who performs autopsies for the department. Between the two of them CSI type investigative skills slowly begin to form. Being a fan of murder mysteries and historical fiction I was looking forward to reading this book when I heard about. I was not disappointed. The characters are interesting and the author brings the backdrop of 1890’s London to life for the reader. I find it particularly interesting to read the author’s perspective on how fingerprint analysis and trace evidence gathering could have been born. If you are a fan of the genre, this book is a must read.

Date published: 2013-07-25

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sandra_S. from
Heart Stopping Walk Back in TimeI loved this book! Being a fan of the new British tv series Ripper Street and anything old Victorian era London/England, I read this with an open mind and wow! The author really gave a realistic view of the era, the people, the lives they led and died with. It's gritty and eye opening but shows well the policing and what they had to work with and how forensics are evolving and lets us into the heart of the people; and it is a good heart. Really impressed and can't wait to read his 2nd book The Black Country.

Date published: 2013-06-29

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Karen_Dickson from
Loved ItFantastic. Reminds me of The Alienist by Caleb Carr. Can't wait for another.

Date published: 2013-01-06

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Darlene from
A really good historical thriller! Grecian has hooked me with his fantastic characters!I received this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. The Yard takes place in the Victorian era and features the men of London's Scotland Yard who have been assigned to work on a special task force to investigate murders, which was established following the Jack the Ripper cases. The story opens with an officer found slain. In the following chapter, we find out who the perpetrator is and learn more about him. Written from the opposing points of view of the murderer and the detectives, it builds suspense. You know those moments in a thrilling movie when you are yelling at the television for the person to turn around or not to go through the door? Well, this book has a lot of those! I felt as though I was a part of the story, waiting for the detectives to find out what I already knew! Grecian has developed a whole cast of wonderful characters, and I can't settle on just one favourite! I loved Inspector Walter Day, who married a woman of much higher social status than himself. We learn a little bit of their love story, which was very sweet and romantic. Then there is Constable Nevil Hammersmith who, as a boy, worked in the coal mines. I absolutely adored Dr. Bernard Kingsley, the self-appointed coroner, who has the biggest heart and is so compassionate. This is Grecian's debut novel, and I love the world that he has created. The setting is so richly detailed that I felt as if I was there. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will love it. It is my understanding that this is the start of a series, and Grecian has already hooked me with his fantastic characters! I look forward to reading more of his work! This is my first narration by Toby Leonard Moore, and the first thing that I noticed was his breathing. At the outset of the book, I was distracted by his every inhalation and there were also some awkward pauses. I soon became caught up in the drama of the book and no longer paid them any mind. I loved Moore's accent and the tone of his voice, but I was preoccupied with his breathing in the beginning. MY RATING: 4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your "To Be Read" list. Thanks to Penguin Audio for the review copy!

Date published: 2012-09-12

Rated 4 out of
5 by
foggygirl from
great debut!An excellent book, it actually reads like a mystery/drama series that you would see on the BBC. I look forward to the next book.

Date published: 2012-08-31

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Nicola_Mansfield from
Victorian ForensicsReason for Reading: I love Victorian mysteries, especially when they actually focus on early policing. Superb! Splendid! I am thrilled to hear this is the first in a proposed new series. The Yard has everything I want in a Victorian crime: authenticity, atmosphere and a peek into the underbelly of Victorian life. Though none are used as characters in the book, the book is peopled with real-life personages from the era to lend authenticity and one can tell much research has been done on the author's part as the book lives and breathes Victorian London, one can almost see the fog rising from the pages and smell the stench as a page is turned. Grecian has devised a wonderfully wicked murder mystery that involves not only one but two serial killers and not only two crimes but a handful of others which keep the characters busy and the reader on his toes trying to piece things together. This is one of those mysteries where we the reader are given access to the murderer from the beginning and the sport is in watching how the police solve the case. Mind you, there are also a handful of other crimes going on, some related, some not, but all somehow coming together one way or another. Incredibly genius really. I so enjoy a clever mystery and this is one by far. A major aspect of the novel is the introduction of forensic sciences. This book focuses on fingerprints and how they were first discovered and put into practice in policework. The general disdain for the practice except for a few forward thinking people and the amazing results as the "coroner" for the Yard applies them to the job. We also are introduced to a great cast of characters, main and auxiliary, who hopefully will be following into the next book of the series. Both of the main sleuths are green, but very clever. Quite different from each other in circumstances and character, Detective Inspector Walter Day and Constable Nevil Hammersmith both share a sense a duty and justice. I did find the first hundred pages slow reading, but that is the type of book this is, they were slow, but not boring in the least. I was drawn in right from the captivating first sentence and while the first hundred pages slowly draws us into the era, the characters, the cases on hand, the rest of the book was a riveting, fast, hard-to-put-down mystery of London's underbelly, depravity and trauma. Book two's focus is said to be on the introduction of the use of photography into policing and I'm looking forward to it with glee!

Date published: 2012-08-05

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Luanne_Ollivier from
Great debutThe Yard is Alex Grecian's debut novel. And this reader has put him firmly on her 'must read' list. London, England 1889 -the year after Jack's infamous rampage. After the Metropolitan Police failed to solve that case, a 'Murder Squad' was formed within Scotland Yard. It consists of only twelve detectives who cannot begin to solve each and every one of the hundred murders being perpetrated each month. It is Inspector Walter Day's first week on the job when one of their own is found murdered in a particularly grisly manner. Determined to prove himself and seek justice for his fallen comrade, Day dives into the case with both feet." "The new inspector, Day, appeared to be up to the job, but Kett knew little about the man. There was an innocence about him that bothered Kett. He had seen idealistic men come and go, the city leeching hope from them too quickly." I was hooked from the opening line...."Nobody noticed when Inspector Christian Little of Scotland Yard disappeared, and nobody was looking for him when he was found." This is a time period I absolutely love and Grecian does a good job bringing the setting to life with lots of atmospheric detail. The plot is multi faceted with more than just the primary case being investigated. Although we know the identity of the perpetrator about halfway through, it didn't detract from the story at all. But it was the characters that were a stand out for me. Grecian has fleshed them out nicely, providing 'interludes' where we learn some of their past. Day is a very likable character, struggling with being in the 'big city'. I quite enjoyed his wife Claire and see her playing a bigger part in the future. Constable Hammersmith is also a character I was drawn to. He's a little more down and dirty than Day, willing to bend the law a wee bit in the name of justice. But the most engrossing was Dr. Bernard Kingsley. He works an unpaid consultant to the Yard, firmly believing that the science he is pursuing will change the face of policing in the future. It was great fun to see the advent of forensics in fingerprinting and evidence collecting. Kingsley is a bit of an enigma as is his daughter Fiona. Grecian has gathered an eclectic, fascinating group of characters, set them down in an intriguing time and place and tied it all together with an ingenious plot. I truly hope this is the beginning of a series - I quite enjoyed The Yard and will definitely pick up the next book by this author.

– More About This Product –

The Yard

The following ISBNs are associated with this title:

ISBN - 10: 0425261271

ISBN - 13: 9780425261279

About the Book

1889, Victorian London. Twelve detectives--The Murder Squad--are expected to solve the thousands of crimes committed here each month. Formed after the Metropolitan Police's spectacular failure in capturing Jack the Ripper, the Murder Squad suffers the brunt of public contempt. But no one can anticipate the brutal murder of one of their own.

From the Publisher

1889, LONDON. JACK THE RIPPER&rsquo;S REIGN OF TERROR IN FINALLY OVER, BUT A NEW ONE IS JUST BEGINNING.

Victorian London&mdash;a violent cesspool of squalid depravity. Only twelve detectives&mdash;The Murder Squad&mdash;are expected to solve the thousands of crimes committed here each month. Formed after the Metropolitan Police&rsquo;s spectacular failure in capturing Jack the Ripper, the Murder Squad suffers the brunt of public contempt. But no one can anticipate the brutal murder of one of their own&hellip;

A Scotland Yard Inspector has been found stuffed in a black steamer trunk at Euston Square Station, his eyes and mouth sewn shut. When Walter Day, the squad&rsquo;s new hire, is assigned to the case, he finds a strange ally in Dr. Bernard Kingsley, the Yard&rsquo;s first forensic pathologist. Their grim conclusion: this was not just a random, bizarre murder but in all probability, the first of twelve. Because the squad itself it being targeted and the devious killer shows no signs of stopping before completing his grim duty. But Inspector Day has one more surprise, something even more shocking than the crimes: the killer&rsquo;s motive.

About the Author

Alex Grecian is the author of the long-running and critically acclaimed graphic novel series Proof. He lives in the Midwest with his wife and son, The Yard is his first novel.

Editorial Reviews

“Grecian has a talent for capturing gory details…extremely vivid (and strangely moving)…Bounding from the workhouse to the lunatic asylum to the stinking streets, [Grecian] does outstanding descriptive work on the mad and the maimed, the diseased and the demented. If Charles Dickens isn’t somewhere clapping his hands for this one, Wilkie Collins surely is.”— The New York Times Book Review “Jack The Ripper has disappeared into the mist of Victorian London. But Scotland Yard—shamed and embarrassed over its failure to catch the taunting madman—must carry on…an absorbing launch pad for a new series built around the detectives who are finding their way in the new business of criminology. Fingerprinting, saving evidence, comparing notes from different crimes to see if there''s a pattern, even something as simple as working in pairs are all novel, untested ideas tried out for the first time…[a] mix of historical facts and vivid fictional creations. It''s great fun…Grecian''s debut is the promising start of a new series and should be one of the most acclaimed and popular mysteries of the year.”— Huffington Post “Alex Grecian''s exuberantly grisly serial killer tale set in 1889 London picks up where the Ripper left off.”— The Guardian (UK) “One can almost taste the grit of the city, smell the soot of the chimneys, and hear the clopping of horses’ hooves as the hansoms